Best fit
- You use a relatively stable working set and remember targets by direction or position.
- You prefer a compact selector over a wide grid.
- You want the same exact-window recency behavior without relying on text search.
CmdTab
macOS window switching
MenuClose
Radial Menu
A circular Mac window switcher for directional selection
Radial Menu changes the presentation, not the membership or recency contract. The same eligible exact-window targets are arranged around a circular selector with a clear current selection and center detail.
Last reviewed:
Open in the full showcase →Definition
CmdTab Radial Menu is a positional presentation mode for the exact-window switcher. It is intended for users who prefer moving around a ring and remembering direction instead of scanning a long row or typing a query.
Radial Menu
Radial Menu directional selection
An authentic production SwiftUI/AppKit render shows the circular selector moving its highlighted exact-window target around the shared radial viewport.
Authentic production SwiftUI render
Read the media description
Eight controlled fixture-window targets appear around the production Radial Menu. The selected ring, arrow, and center details advance around the circle to demonstrate directional selection.
Radial Menu uses the shared exact-window target sequence while emphasizing the selected position and its current detail. Source: Authentic production SwiftUI render. Controlled fixture windows protect private desktop content; the Evidence page records the separate signed-app acceptance boundary.
Current behavior
What this feature does today
These statements describe the current implementation and are intentionally narrower than an unmeasured performance claim.
| Behavior | Current CmdTab contract |
|---|---|
| Target set | The same eligible exact-window items used by the other CmdTab modes |
| Ordering | The shared global exact-window recent-use sequence |
| Presentation | Circular positions around a selected center detail |
| Same-app windows | Remain separate targets rather than an application group |
| Preview fallback | Eligible targets remain available when a live capture is unavailable |
| Commit behavior | The selected exact target is activated and history changes only after confirmation |
Decision guide
Where it fits, and where another mode is better
A useful feature page should state the tradeoff instead of treating every workflow as proof of superiority.
Tradeoffs and limits
- Circular placement is less text-dense than Command Palette and can be less efficient for large, unfamiliar target sets.
- Positional recall changes when the eligible-window set changes, so it should not be described as a permanent app shortcut map.
- No fixed reaction-time advantage is claimed without controlled real-machine testing.
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